Taste

Image: a 4d scan image of a fetus showing a neutral face. Credit: Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab.

First direct evidence that babies can taste and smell in the womb

By Oliver Morrison

In findings that could further our understanding of the development of human taste and smell receptors, and help address the problem of ‘food-fussiness’ when weaning, researchers took 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women to see how their unborn babies...

Japanese scientists want to develop a commercially available chopstick-shaped device for daily use by those following a low-sodium diet or trying to reduce their salt intake. It can be adapted for Western cutlery, they told FoodNavigator. Image: Yoshinobu Kaji/Meiji University

Electrified cutlery could help salt reduction efforts

By Oliver Morrison

Knives and forks that send an electrical current to the tongue can enhance the saltiness and possibly the savouriness of low-sodium foods, scientists claim, and may help millions stick to a low-sodium diet without sacrificing taste.

Think beyond the burger to drive plant-based sales, data suggests / Pic: GettyImages-Barmalini

Promoting plant-based: What motivates people to eat less meat?

By Katy Askew

Environmental concerns don’t motivate consumers to replace meat products with plant-based alternatives, new research suggests. So, what does prompt people to make the swap? And how can the food industry tap into this to support growth in the plant-based...

 Getty/valiantsin suprunovich

COVID: Smell, taste and the lessons for the food industry

By Oliver Morrison

Almost a year since the start of the pandemic in Europe, many of those infected who reported losing their sense of smell and consequently taste -- even without displaying other symptoms -- still haven’t recovered these senses. What implications could...

Getty/ABedov

Ethnicity may play role in taste perception, studies claim

By Oliver Morrison

Ethnicity may play a role in how sensitive a person is to the bitter taste found in foods such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and dark chocolate, as two studies demonstrate that Danish and Chinese people experience this taste differently owing to a difference...

Complex flavour combinations impact taste perception ©iStock

Sugar, salt and fat substitutes 'blunt' nutrient perception

By Paul Gander

New French research shows that ‘nutrient signalling’, or the ability to taste the presence of a given nutrient in foods, becomes less efficient and less reliable as foods become more complex and different tastes compete for attention, potentially confusing...

Professional tasters provide the most accurate answers but are expensive and time-consuming for small companies developing new products for the market. © iStock

Sensory profiling just got simpler, faster and cheaper: Nofima

By Niamh Michail

Sensory profiling and product testing can be complicated, but Norwegian researchers have developed methods that are simpler, faster and cheaper, allowing smaller companies to carry out their own new product development, they say.

Scents and sounds can radically alter the way we perceive flavour, says Saven

How could technology change the way we eat?

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

Technology and digital media influence the taste, appearance and experience of food more than ever before, says Mandy Saven, head of food, beverage and hospitality at innovation and trends consultancy Stylus.

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